Contrary to what I used to be taught, namely that nuns were tucked away in nunneries, never to be seen or heard from again, they played an enormous, often progressive, role in the catholic landscape of the Middle Ages. They were active land owners, managers, litigators and teachers. Urban environments, like Florence in the 15th century, saw increased numbers of them (1 in 26 citizens!) due to many factors, including the plague and its consequence for the marriage market, the rise of the Medici and papal intervention. Nuns were integral to neighborhoods as well as the market economy – in fact they were in large scale responsible for the production and weaving of metallic threads. The book linked below argues that they affected broad social change, being political in relevant ways.

https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/content/nuns-and-nunneries-renaissance-florence

Progressive nuns these days (starting with the Vietnam War) follow in that proud tradition, even if it has punitive consequences. Here are some of the causes they fight for (or against): immigrants, pipelines, war and missile silos.

Capitol Police arrest scores of Catholic nuns and leaders calling for immigration reform

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/10/19/at-chapel-where-nuns-protest-a-pipeline-23-arrested-including-several-in-their-70s-and-80s/?utm_term=.16801a39480a

www.nytimes.com/…/7-nuns-arrested-in-antiwar-protest-inside-st-patricks-7-nuns.html

Jackie Hudson, one of three nuns arrested in 2002 missile silo protest, dies

I think these kind of nuns would agree with the song I chose for today: church can be anywhere where love, tolerance, respect is practiced.

Photographs in honor of my sister’s upcoming birthday; she used to professionally build church organs before she switched careers.